Tag Archives: taste

Episode 24:The Sweet Side of Toxicology: Exploring the Safety of Artificial Sweeteners



Low and no-calorie artificial sweeteners have a long and controversial history. Originally developed to reduce caloric intake, these sugar substitutes have become a hot topic for consumers. Join host Bruce Perkins and guest experts, Drs. Gavin Thompson, Ray Matula, and Jim Coughlin, as they unravel the intricacies of artificial sweetener safety.

Beginning with a look at what artificial sweeteners are, the experts provide a brief historical overview of key sweeteners, including saccharine, aspartame, sucralose, and stevia, among others, and their presence in our food. Then, they will review the regulatory approval process for artificial sweeteners as food additives/ingredients in the United States. The discussion will conclude with a conversation regarding the assessment of sweeteners for safety vs. studies evaluating their potential health benefits.

By the end of this podcast, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the nature of artificial sweeteners and the complexities of safety evaluation.


Episode 21: Sensory Science Series- “Fast & Early” – An approachable path to the valuable consumer voice- Part 2



This is the second podcast in a sensory sciences series in collaboration with the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division. Host Bruce Perkin and guest speakers Becky Bleibaum and Anna Leachman will be discussing tools to get rapid and reliable consumer feedback on products. This conversation highlights the advantages of consumer research, what consumer acceptance is and why it is important, how tight timelines and budgets impact outcomes, and more. 


Episode 20: Sensory Science Series- “Culinary Quantitative Description Analysis QDA” – New data from an old tool- Part 1



This podcast is the first episode in a Sensory Sciences series in collaboration with the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division. Join host Bruce Perkin and speakers Becky Bleibaum and Heather Thomas as they discuss Quantitative Description Analysis (QDA.) QDA is a sensory tool that was developed in the mid-1970s to correct perceived problems with flavor profile analysis. During this conversation, the speakers will be covering what QDA is and how it works, QDA strengths compared to other tools, taking QDA into a new space, making sure consumer voices are not lost when using culinary professionals and more. 


Episode 15: Supplier Solutions: Virginia Dare



Wellness and personal health is on our minds now more than ever. That is why Virginia Dare has named Wellness Flavors the most influential taste trend of 2022, as physical and mental health takes priority and becomes the dominant driver behind new product launches and consumer goods. During this episode, host Bruce Perkins, Philip Caputo (Virginia Dare) who leads marketing and consumer insight development, and Robert Verdi (Virginia Dare) Vice President of Business Development discuss what we see as some of the most intriguing functionally-inspired taste profiles emerging, and the inherent therapeutic properties or associations they carry. To learn more about Virginia Dare please click here. ( https://www.virginiadare.com)


Episode 5: Flavor is Key: What you should know about flavors and their importance in launching new foods and beverages



How do you create apple pie flavoring when everyone has their own memory of their favorite apple pie? This episode’s guests will help! Dave Franz, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at FlavorSum, and Lisa Jackson, Director of Marketing, join us to talk about the flavor industry. We explore why consumers may like or dislike a certain taste, and the challenges that product developers may experience when launching new flavored products. We also discuss guardrails to consider when launching foods and beverages and get insights into the end-to-end process of product development. This podcast is brought to you by FlavorSum.